Mission type SIGINT Launch date 2020 Launch site Kourou | Operator French Armed Forces Rocket Vega | |
Manufacturer Thales Alenia Space, Airbus Defence and Space | ||
CERES (Capacité de REnseignement Electromagnétique Spatial, Space-based electronic signals intelligence capability) is a French military satellite program consisting of 3 formation-flying spacecraft collecting SIGINT.
Presentation
France has sent several signal intelligence demonstration mission into orbit. The most recent ones, the Essaim and Elisa, consisted in formation-flying spacecraft able to triangulate the location of radar and communication emitters, using the same principle as NOSS constellation. These pathfinder programs are to be replaced by an operational mission called CERES (Capacité de REnseignement Electromagnétique Spatiale), which will use 3 formation-flying satellites to locate and characterize electromagnetic emitters. The launch is planned for 2020. Thales Alenia Space will provide the EliteBus busses and Airbus Defense and Space the payload. The program cost is estimated at 450M€.